Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Next Wednesday I will have the distinct pleasure to participate in an event featuring young adult author Megan Crewe. I will be introducing her and interviewing her, and running a writing workshop based on her latest novel THE WAY WE FALL. The event is free, and yes, consider this my invitation to you all to come.

I will, of course, remind you all closer to the date so you can make sure to come, but I wanted you to know now because Small Print Toronto, the organisers of the event, are running a contest where you can win a signed copy of THE WAY WE FALL, and contests are awesome. Visit Small Print's event page for more details (scroll down a wee bit and you'll find information on how to enter).

And here is a little blurb about the book itself (it's truly a page turner):

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a
tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your
secrets and chatting with strangers like they're old friends. Three
more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When
sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without
saying goodbye, she never dreams that she might not see him again. But
then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community,
infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government
quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those
still healthy must fight for the island's dwindling supplies, or lose
all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down,
Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the
midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and
family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the
people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Poignant and dizzying, The Way We Fall is
the heart-wrenching story of one girl's bravery and unbeatable spirit
as she challenges not just her fears, but her sense of what makes life
worth living.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

It may or may be just a wee bit obvious by my posts on this blog that I happen to know some incredibly talented people. I'm not sure how I lucked out in this way, but I have and I am not going to question it.

And for today's Steampunk Tuesday I would like to feature a friend who is also a Steampunk jewelry maker of truly gorgeous unique pieces. What I love about her and her work is the fun she clearly has in putting her pieces together, how much pride she takes in her pieces, and the joy she derives from a challenge.

May I present to you Kristie St-Martin aka Lady Lilleigh.

(FYI: she has also come up with a spectacular piece specifically designed for a contest I'm going to be running for THE FRIDAY SOCIETY extremely soon. But I can't tell you about any of that yet because I'm mean.)

Here's a little interview I did with her, along with some pictures of her work. Also, if you are interested in her stuff (and why wouldn't you be), she is very easy to find as she is all over the interwebs:

I started making
jewelry in 2009. It was my first foray into both jewelry making and
Steampunk. I had seen many other talented artisans creating Steampunk
items, but was disappointed that most of the time, I was unable to
afford those 'little luxuries'. My husband, the talented author, Rob St.
Martin (no bias), had just started his new series in the Steampunk
genre and encouraged me to create my own Steampunk accessories instead
of buying them. I thought that it was a bit sad for those who were
'artistically disinclined' to not have the option of affordable
Steampunk bits and bobs, so I took it a step farther and created Lady
Lilleigh's Little Luxuries: Affordable Steampunk Accessories for the
Discerning Consumer

*What interests you about the Steampunk Aesthetic?

I
love the originality of Steampunk. At every convention I attend, I see
someone who has taken Steampunk creativity one step farther - it's a
constant adventure of discovery!

*When did/how did you discover Steampunk?

I've loved
Steampunk since I was a little kid, I just didn't know it was called
Steampunk yet! I always loved the stories of Jules Verne and I've always
been addicted to the fashions of the Victorian era (especially the
shoes!). Back in 1985, I saw the movie Young Sherlock Holmes and from
that point on, was completely smitten with Steampunk.

*What's one of your favourite items you've designed?

Ooh,
that's a tough one. I LOVE commissions. Creating something unique to an
individual is very rewarding. I also think any of the items I create
with one of a kind scrap parts are my favorite. I LOVE the challenge of
turning old discarded items into reclaimed 'luxuries'.

*What's your proudest moment as a designer?

When someone
comes to see me at a convention to show off the item they bought from me
in previous years. I guarantee all my work, so if there is ever a
problem with an item, I'll repair it or if it's irreparable, I'll
replace it with a similar item. It's so important for me as a designer
to see my customers happy with their purchase.

*What Steampunk article that you own but didn't design is your fav?

My Steampunk corset, hands-down! I got it from this amazing retailer, DragonCorsets.com.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

I realise I haven't blogged in a while, and the reason is simple. There's been some stuff going on in my life (not horrible, nothing for anyone to be concerned about) that has been preventing me. I've also been a bit low about it all, so not really in the mood quite frankly. But I wanted to post this small post simply to point out that this happens. To everyone. To remind people, and myself, that things go wrong. We feel sad. But it isn't for forever.

And it will get better eventually.

So as a pick me up for me, and hopefully for your enjoyment, here are some things that make me happy.

Atticus as a kitten

Last but not least . . . The Rainbow Connection. Which has amazing restorative powers.

Friday, March 02, 2012

She's an awesome person, and yeah, also an awesome author (her latest novel ONCE EVERY NEVER has just been shortlisted for the CLA in the Young Adult Book Award category, an award that was given to her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE).

So it always makes me more than happy to share awesome stuff about her.

In this case, it's the cover reveal for the first in her new Trilogy spinoff from the WONDROUS STRANGE series called STARLING.

When
Mason Starling rescues an unconscious young man from the ravages of a
terrible storm—and he rescues her from the otherworldly creatures
lurking in that storm—little does she know her whole life is about to
spiral dramatically, mystically out of control. Someone is trying to
kill her, someone else is trying to use her, and the only one who seems
willing to help her is the tantalizing, dangerous stranger who can’t
even remember who—or what—he is. All he remembers is his name: Fennrys
Wolf.

What Fennrys doesn’t know is that, thanks in part to his
past actions, a crack has appeared in the barrier between the mortal
world and the Beyond Realms. The crack has opened up a nexus of dark
energy in the middle of the East River and it’s attracting the attention
of powerful entities on both sides of the rift.

Because of that,
a longstanding truce involving the members of several ancient
underworld cartels is now in jeopardy. Mason, Fennrys, and the students
of elite Gosforth Academy—a neutral-ground “safe haven” for children of
the Families—soon find themselves caught in the crossfire as the
servants of the warring pantheons fight to see whose gods come out on
top...and whose demons go down in flames.

Set in New York City,
with all its dark, gritty sparkle, the STARLING saga explores the spaces
between the worlds and the realms of the ancient gods… only a heartbeat
beyond. It’s a tale spun from ancient mythologies—Norse and Greek and
Egyptian—filled to the brim with adventure, danger, and romance, and
played out against the backdrop of a city with its own siren-song.

From the universe of Lesley Livingston’s WONDROUS STRANGE, a new series and captivating heroine make their exciting debut.